Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in West Virginia

Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate

Braxton County had the highest job destruction rate of 55 counties in 2015, at 34.523%. Hardy County had the lowest, at 4.696%. The median was 10.566% and the figure for West Virginia was 11.958%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest34.523Braxton County
Lowest4.696Hardy County
Median10.56655 counties
West Virginia11.958History

Map of counties, 2015

Barbour County: 9.373 %Berkeley County: 14.952 %Boone County: 16.379 %Braxton County: 34.523 %Brooke County: 6.436 %Cabell County: 10.04 %Calhoun County: 25.86 %Clay County: 13.948 %Doddridge County: 10.247 %Fayette County: 15.531 %Gilmer County: 13.473 %Grant County: 7.96 %Greenbrier County: 9.199 %Hampshire County: 6.69 %Hancock County: 9.826 %Hardy County: 4.696 %Harrison County: 12.692 %Jackson County: 10.285 %Jefferson County: 7.366 %Kanawha County: 13.217 %Lewis County: 11.482 %Lincoln County: 23.256 %Logan County: 16.216 %McDowell County: 16.474 %Marion County: 13.202 %Marshall County: 7.363 %Mason County: 6.541 %Mercer County: 10.881 %Mineral County: 17.385 %Mingo County: 34.122 %Monongalia County: 8.396 %Monroe County: 10.566 %Morgan County: 6.448 %Nicholas County: 11.156 %Ohio County: 8.414 %Pendleton County: 12.864 %Pleasants County: 9.842 %Pocahontas County: 5.675 %Preston County: 10.16 %Putnam County: 11.757 %Raleigh County: 15.977 %Randolph County: 8.614 %Ritchie County: 6.719 %Roane County: 15.186 %Summers County: 8.073 %Taylor County: 8.885 %Tucker County: 28.082 %Tyler County: 5.822 %Upshur County: 12.591 %Wayne County: 9.012 %Webster County: 9.905 %Wetzel County: 10.168 %Wirt County: 31.42 %Wood County: 12.325 %Wyoming County: 26.147 %
  • Under 7.4
  • 7.4 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2015

Braxton County: 34.523 %Braxton County34.523Mingo County: 34.122 %Mingo County34.122Wirt County: 31.42 %Wirt County31.42Tucker County: 28.082 %Tucker County28.082Wyoming County: 26.147 %Wyoming County26.147Calhoun County: 25.86 %Calhoun County25.86Lincoln County: 23.256 %Lincoln County23.256Mineral County: 17.385 %Mineral County17.385McDowell County: 16.474 %McDowell County16.474Boone County: 16.379 %Boone County16.379Logan County: 16.216 %Logan County16.216Raleigh County: 15.977 %Raleigh County15.977Fayette County: 15.531 %Fayette County15.531Roane County: 15.186 %Roane County15.186Berkeley County: 14.952 %Berkeley County14.952Clay County: 13.948 %Clay County13.948Gilmer County: 13.473 %Gilmer County13.473Kanawha County: 13.217 %Kanawha County13.217Marion County: 13.202 %Marion County13.202Pendleton County: 12.864 %Pendleton County12.864Harrison County: 12.692 %Harrison County12.692Upshur County: 12.591 %Upshur County12.591Wood County: 12.325 %Wood County12.325Putnam County: 11.757 %Putnam County11.757Lewis County: 11.482 %Lewis County11.482Nicholas County: 11.156 %Nicholas County11.156Mercer County: 10.881 %Mercer County10.881Monroe County: 10.566 %Monroe County10.566Jackson County: 10.285 %Jackson County10.285Doddridge County: 10.247 %Doddridge County10.247Wetzel County: 10.168 %Wetzel County10.168Preston County: 10.16 %Preston County10.16Cabell County: 10.04 %Cabell County10.04Webster County: 9.905 %Webster County9.905Pleasants County: 9.842 %Pleasants County9.842Hancock County: 9.826 %Hancock County9.826Barbour County: 9.373 %Barbour County9.373Greenbrier County: 9.199 %Greenbrier County9.199Wayne County: 9.012 %Wayne County9.012Taylor County: 8.885 %Taylor County8.885Randolph County: 8.614 %Randolph County8.614Ohio County: 8.414 %Ohio County8.414Monongalia County: 8.396 %Monongalia County8.396Summers County: 8.073 %Summers County8.073Grant County: 7.96 %Grant County7.96Jefferson County: 7.366 %Jefferson County7.366Marshall County: 7.363 %Marshall County7.363Ritchie County: 6.719 %Ritchie County6.719Hampshire County: 6.69 %Hampshire County6.69Mason County: 6.541 %Mason County6.541Morgan County: 6.448 %Morgan County6.448Brooke County: 6.436 %Brooke County6.436Tyler County: 5.822 %Tyler County5.822Pocahontas County: 5.675 %Pocahontas County5.675Hardy County: 4.696 %Hardy County4.696Braxton County: 34.523 %Braxton County34.523Mingo County: 34.122 %Mingo County34.122Wirt County: 31.42 %Wirt County31.42Tucker County: 28.082 %Tucker County28.082Wyoming County: 26.147 %Wyoming County26.147Calhoun County: 25.86 %Calhoun County25.86Lincoln County: 23.256 %Lincoln County23.256Mineral County: 17.385 %Mineral County17.385McDowell County: 16.474 %McDowell County16.474Boone County: 16.379 %Boone County16.379Logan County: 16.216 %Logan County16.216Raleigh County: 15.977 %Raleigh County15.977Fayette County: 15.531 %Fayette County15.531Roane County: 15.186 %Roane County15.186Berkeley County: 14.952 %Berkeley County14.952Clay County: 13.948 %Clay County13.948Gilmer County: 13.473 %Gilmer County13.473Kanawha County: 13.217 %Kanawha County13.217Marion County: 13.202 %Marion County13.202Pendleton County: 12.864 %Pendleton County12.864Harrison County: 12.692 %Harrison County12.692Upshur County: 12.591 %Upshur County12.591Wood County: 12.325 %Wood County12.325Putnam County: 11.757 %Putnam County11.757Lewis County: 11.482 %Lewis County11.482Nicholas County: 11.156 %Nicholas County11.156Mercer County: 10.881 %Mercer County10.881Monroe County: 10.566 %Monroe County10.566Jackson County: 10.285 %Jackson County10.285Doddridge County: 10.247 %Doddridge County10.247Wetzel County: 10.168 %Wetzel County10.168Preston County: 10.16 %Preston County10.16Cabell County: 10.04 %Cabell County10.04Webster County: 9.905 %Webster County9.905Pleasants County: 9.842 %Pleasants County9.842Hancock County: 9.826 %Hancock County9.826Barbour County: 9.373 %Barbour County9.373Greenbrier County: 9.199 %Greenbrier County9.199Wayne County: 9.012 %Wayne County9.012Taylor County: 8.885 %Taylor County8.885Randolph County: 8.614 %Randolph County8.614Ohio County: 8.414 %Ohio County8.414Monongalia County: 8.396 %Monongalia County8.396Summers County: 8.073 %Summers County8.073Grant County: 7.96 %Grant County7.96Jefferson County: 7.366 %Jefferson County7.366Marshall County: 7.363 %Marshall County7.363Ritchie County: 6.719 %Ritchie County6.719Hampshire County: 6.69 %Hampshire County6.69Mason County: 6.541 %Mason County6.541Morgan County: 6.448 %Morgan County6.448Brooke County: 6.436 %Brooke County6.436Tyler County: 5.822 %Tyler County5.822Pocahontas County: 5.675 %Pocahontas County5.675Hardy County: 4.696 %Hardy County4.696
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Braxton County34.523+19.67 pts
2Mingo County34.122-0.2 pts
3Wirt County31.42+17.17 pts
4Tucker County28.082+19.21 pts
5Wyoming County26.147+9.22 pts
6Calhoun County25.86+10.63 pts
7Lincoln County23.256+5.91 pts
8Mineral County17.385+8.53 pts
9McDowell County16.474-0.7 pts
10Boone County16.379-45.37 pts
11Logan County16.216+3.92 pts
12Raleigh County15.977+1.98 pts
13Fayette County15.531+1.54 pts
14Roane County15.186+7.09 pts
15Berkeley County14.952+6.28 pts
16Clay County13.948-7.11 pts
17Gilmer County13.473-0.78 pts
18Kanawha County13.217+2.56 pts
19Marion County13.202-1.73 pts
20Pendleton County12.864-0.13 pts
21Harrison County12.692+2.33 pts
22Upshur County12.591+0.27 pts
23Wood County12.325+1.53 pts
24Putnam County11.757-0.02 pts
25Lewis County11.482-1.77 pts
26Nicholas County11.156-14.66 pts
27Mercer County10.881-1.3 pts
28Monroe County10.566-0.66 pts
29Jackson County10.285+1.67 pts
30Doddridge County10.247-2.44 pts
31Wetzel County10.168+1.34 pts
32Preston County10.16-0.94 pts
33Cabell County10.04+2.34 pts
34Webster County9.905-3.14 pts
35Pleasants County9.842-6.26 pts
36Hancock County9.826+2.29 pts
37Barbour County9.373+0.8 pts
38Greenbrier County9.199-3.05 pts
39Wayne County9.012-2.26 pts
40Taylor County8.885-6.88 pts
41Randolph County8.614-1.09 pts
42Ohio County8.414-0.42 pts
43Monongalia County8.396-1.19 pts
44Summers County8.073-12.25 pts
45Grant County7.96-3.09 pts
46Jefferson County7.366-1.73 pts
47Marshall County7.363-3.67 pts
48Ritchie County6.719-2.7 pts
49Hampshire County6.69-4.35 pts
50Mason County6.541-11.4 pts
51Morgan County6.448-2.73 pts
52Brooke County6.436-3 pts
53Tyler County5.822+1.02 pts
54Pocahontas County5.675-0.29 pts
55Hardy County4.696+0.32 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_west_virginia_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in West Virginia by job destruction rate, 2015
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/west-virginia-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job destruction rate?

Braxton County, with 34.523% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Hardy County, with 4.696% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings